Inside the Résumé of Head Softball Coach Melyssa Lombardi
07/11/18 | Softball
New Oregon softball head coach Melyssa Lombardi helped lead Oklahoma to four national championships, 15 Big 12 titles and 1,055 total wins over her 21 seasons with the Sooners
A new chapter of Oregon softball began on Monday when the Ducks announced Melyssa Lombardi as the 12th head coach in program history.
Lombardi is in Irvine, Calif., this week to coach at the USA Softball International Cup, and will be officially introduced as the Ducks' head coach in a press conference on Monday, July 16, at Jane Sanders Stadium.
A pitching and catching guru and one of the most sought-after coaches in the nation throughout her 21-year stint on the staff of Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso, Lombardi brings to Oregon an elite championship resume with a history of sustained success.
Take a deeper look into Melyssa Lombardi's loaded résumé before she officially arrives in Eugene.
NICKNAME
- Missy
FAMILY
- Husband: John
- Son: Gianni
HOMETOWN
- Glendale, Ariz.
ALMA MATER
- Oklahoma, 1997
- Degree: Health and Sports Science
PLAYING DAYS
- Catcher at Oklahoma from 1995 to 1996
- Led OU in hitting with a .345 batting average during spectacular senior season in 1996
- 1996 All-Big 12 Second Team selection
COACHING EXPERIENCE
- Joined OU staff as an undergraduate assistant coach in 1997, became full time in 1998
- 21 seasons as pitching coach on Patty Gasso's staff at Oklahoma (1998-2018)
- Associate head coach from 2008 to 2018
CAREER COACHING HONORS AND AWARDS
- 2017 NFCA Division I Assistant Coach of the Year
- Four NFCA National Coaching Staffs of the Year (2000, 2013, 2016-17)
- 11 Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year (1999-01, 2004, 2012-18)
CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE
- Four national championship titles (2000, 2013, 2016-17)
- 12 Women's College World Series appearances
- 17 NCAA Super Regional Appearances
- 21 NCAA Tournament appearances in 21 seasons
- 10 Big 12 regular season titles (1999, 2000, 2009, 2012-18)
- Five Big 12 Conference tournament titles (2001, 2007, 2010, 2017-18)
- 10 seasons with 50 wins or more, six with 55 wins or more and two with 60 wins or more
- Pitching staffs ranked No. 1 nationally in ERA three times, and in the top 25 a total of 13 times
THRIVING STUDENT-ATHLETES
- 20 All-America honors
- 37 All-Region accolades
- 77 All-Big 12 honors
- Two USA Softball Pitcher of the Year awards
- Six Big 12 Pitcher of the Year awards
- Three Big 12 Defensive Player of the year awards
- Four All-Big 12 Defensive Team honors
- Coached OU pitchers to 32 no-hitters over 21 seasons
NOTABLE ATHLETES COACHED
- LHP Keilani Ricketts (Two-time USA Softball Player of the Year, Three-time All-American)
- LHP Paige Parker (Four-time All-American, Four-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Year)
- LHP Paige Lowary (No. 1 overall pick in 2018 NPF Draft)
- C Heather Scaglione (Two-time All-American, Two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year)
- LHP Michelle Gascoigne (2013 USA Softball Player of the Year finalist)
- C Lindsey Vandever (2011 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year)
* Big 12 Regular Season Title
^ Big 12 Tournament Title
Lombardi is in Irvine, Calif., this week to coach at the USA Softball International Cup, and will be officially introduced as the Ducks' head coach in a press conference on Monday, July 16, at Jane Sanders Stadium.
A pitching and catching guru and one of the most sought-after coaches in the nation throughout her 21-year stint on the staff of Oklahoma head coach Patty Gasso, Lombardi brings to Oregon an elite championship resume with a history of sustained success.
Take a deeper look into Melyssa Lombardi's loaded résumé before she officially arrives in Eugene.
NICKNAME
- Missy
FAMILY
- Husband: John
- Son: Gianni
HOMETOWN
- Glendale, Ariz.
ALMA MATER
- Oklahoma, 1997
- Degree: Health and Sports Science
PLAYING DAYS
- Catcher at Oklahoma from 1995 to 1996
- Led OU in hitting with a .345 batting average during spectacular senior season in 1996
- 1996 All-Big 12 Second Team selection
COACHING EXPERIENCE
- Joined OU staff as an undergraduate assistant coach in 1997, became full time in 1998
- 21 seasons as pitching coach on Patty Gasso's staff at Oklahoma (1998-2018)
- Associate head coach from 2008 to 2018
CAREER COACHING HONORS AND AWARDS
- 2017 NFCA Division I Assistant Coach of the Year
- Four NFCA National Coaching Staffs of the Year (2000, 2013, 2016-17)
- 11 Regional Coaching Staffs of the Year (1999-01, 2004, 2012-18)
CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE
- Four national championship titles (2000, 2013, 2016-17)
- 12 Women's College World Series appearances
- 17 NCAA Super Regional Appearances
- 21 NCAA Tournament appearances in 21 seasons
- 10 Big 12 regular season titles (1999, 2000, 2009, 2012-18)
- Five Big 12 Conference tournament titles (2001, 2007, 2010, 2017-18)
- 10 seasons with 50 wins or more, six with 55 wins or more and two with 60 wins or more
- Pitching staffs ranked No. 1 nationally in ERA three times, and in the top 25 a total of 13 times
THRIVING STUDENT-ATHLETES
- 20 All-America honors
- 37 All-Region accolades
- 77 All-Big 12 honors
- Two USA Softball Pitcher of the Year awards
- Six Big 12 Pitcher of the Year awards
- Three Big 12 Defensive Player of the year awards
- Four All-Big 12 Defensive Team honors
- Coached OU pitchers to 32 no-hitters over 21 seasons
NOTABLE ATHLETES COACHED
- LHP Keilani Ricketts (Two-time USA Softball Player of the Year, Three-time All-American)
- LHP Paige Parker (Four-time All-American, Four-time Big 12 Pitcher of the Year)
- LHP Paige Lowary (No. 1 overall pick in 2018 NPF Draft)
- C Heather Scaglione (Two-time All-American, Two-time Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year)
- LHP Michelle Gascoigne (2013 USA Softball Player of the Year finalist)
- C Lindsey Vandever (2011 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year)
| Year | OU ERA | NCAA Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 1.33 | 18th |
| 1999 | 1.72 | NA |
| 2000 | 1.44 | 25th |
| 2001 | 1.57 | NA |
| 2002 | 1.28 | 15th |
| 2003 | 1.40 | 18th |
| 2004 | 1.59 | NA |
| 2005 | 1.85 | NA |
| 2006 | 2.97 | NA |
| 2007 | 1.84 | 28th |
| 2008 | 1.54 | 18th |
| 2009 | 2.61 | 81st |
| 2010 | 1.39 | 2nd |
| 2011 | 1.82 | 20th |
| 2012 | 1.22 | 1st |
| 2013 | 1.16 | 1st |
| 2014 | 2.77 | 66th |
| 2015 | 2.19 | 17th |
| 2016 | 2.26 | 21st |
| 2017 | 1.55 | 10th |
| 2018 | 1.12 | 1st |
| Year | Overall | Big 12 | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 49-15 | 12-5 | NCAA Regionals |
| 1999 | 40-16 | 11-3* | NCAA Regionals |
| 2000 | 66-8 | 17-1* | WCWS National Champions |
| 2001 | 50-9 | 14-2^ | WCWS |
| 2002 | 49-16 | 14-2 | WCWS |
| 2003 | 47-14 | 12-6 | WCWS |
| 2004 | 45-22-1 | 11-7 | WCWS |
| 2005 | 50-17 | 12-6 | NCAA Super Regionals |
| 2006 | 40-21-1 | 8-10 | NCAA Regionals |
| 2007 | 55-8 | 14-4^ | NCAA Super Regionals |
| 2008 | 47-14 | 16-2 | NCAA Super Regionals |
| 2009 | 41-16 | 14-4* | NCAA Regionals |
| 2010 | 47-12 | 13-3^ | NCAA Super Regionals |
| 2011 | 43-19 | 10-8 | WCWS |
| 2012 | 54-10 | 19-5* | WCWS Runners-Up |
| 2013 | 57-4 | 15-2* | WCWS National Champions |
| 2014 | 51-13 | 16-2* | WCWS |
| 2015 | 49-9 | 14-2* | NCAA Super Regionals |
| 2016 | 57-8 | 17-1* | WCWS National Champions |
| 2017 | 61-9 | 17-1*^ | WCWS National Champions |
| 2018 | 57-7 | 18-0*^ | WCWS |
| Totals | 1055-267-2 (.798) |
294-76 (.795) |
4 NCAA titles, 12 WCWS appearances, 17 NCAA Super Regionals |
^ Big 12 Tournament Title
Melyssa Lombardi | Postgame - Ohio State (Game 3)
Sunday, April 26
Emma Cox | Postgame - Ohio State (Game 2)
Sunday, April 26
Taryn Ho | Postgame - Ohio State (Game 2)
Sunday, April 26
Melyssa Lombardi | Postgame - Ohio State (Game 2)
Sunday, April 26
